Sleeper Picks: Sanderson Farms Championship

Carlos Ortiz … Only he and Abraham Ancer represent Mexico with status on the PGA TOUR, but a total of seven natives of the host country for the Mayakoba Golf Classic are in this week’s field of 132. It includes Ortiz’ younger brother, Alvaro. Carlos is rested since a T4 at the Houston Open where he thrived on a fantastic short game. Three starts prior, he also finished T4 at the Sanderson Farms Championship where he excelled tee to green. This is his sixth appearance at El Camaleón. He debuted with a T9 in 2014 and owns a scoring average of 69.56 in 16 rounds. Ryan Armour … As a 43-year-old who never will be mistaken as a long hitter, it’d be a shame if he didn’t commit to the Mayakoba Golf Classic. He’s one of the most accurate off the tee on the PGA TOUR. Consider that in each of the last three completed seasons, he’s ranked either first or second in fairways hit and/or shortest distance from the edge of the fairway on drives that don’t find the shortest grass. A solo fourth as a rookie in the inaugural edition in 2007 was his first of four career top fives on TOUR. It was love at first sight. He also placed T21 last year and arrives for his fifth appearance with a T23 in Houston and a T8 in Bermuda in his most recent competitions. Brice Garnett … Sometimes, you want to be cliché. The 36-year-old not only does his best work tee to green, but he’s also proven how this formula works at Mayakoba time, and time, and time again. Since 2014, he’s 4-for-4 with three top 10s, a T25 and a scoring average of 67.81. After enduring a quiet first half of 2019, he found his gear in Detroit at the end of June. Since a T17 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, he’s gone for five top 25s among eight cuts made in 10 starts. It also cannot be ignored that he prevailed on paspalum at the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship in 2018. Harold Varner III … The non-winner isn’t a veteran ball-striker, but neither were John Huh (2012) and Patton Kizzire (2017) when they prevailed for the first time on the PGA TOUR at El Camaleón Golf Club. Proper courses reward those who are willing and can adapt to the test. In three appearances, HV3 has a T5 (2015) and a T6 (2018). His scoring average in 10 rounds is 68.20. It’s a trend that’s expected to continue as he arrives in form. Since mid-July, he’s 9-for-9 with a trio of top-20s finishes. J.J. Spaun … Course-history buffs will label his inclusion on this page as lazy, while devotees of recent form will call their bluff. See, since his first appearance with a T28 as a rookie in 2016, he’s added a T14 and a T3, respectively. His scoring average in those 12 rounds is a sporty 67.75. However, he arrives having gone nine consecutive starts without posting a top 35 and only one top-45 finish (T36, Sanderson Farms). When he plays to his strength as a ball-striker, it’s rewarded here, but he’s yet to find the grip on the toolbox this season. So, however you come at him, he’s compelling. NOTE: Sleeper is a relative term, so Rob uses unofficial criteria to determine who qualifies. Each of the following usually is determined to be ineligible for this weekly staple: Winners of the tournament on the current host course; winners in the same season; recent major champions; top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking; recent participants of team competitions.

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GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Joohyung “Tom” Kim began the Wyndham Championship with a quadruple bogey on his first hole and wasn’t the least bit bothered. The kid seems to be going places in a hurry. Already assured a PGA TOUR card for next season, Kim overcame his rough start with a 6-under 64 on Friday that gave him a share of the lead with Brandon Wu and Ryan Moore in the final PGA TOUR event of the regular season. Kim, a 20-year-old South Korean, has to win at Sedgefield Country Club to qualify for the FedExCup playoffs because he will not be considered a PGA TOUR member until September when the new season starts. Only a victory gives him instant membership. He doesn’t feel extra pressure to get it done. Considering where he was a month ago, Kim is happy to be where he is. Kim — he goes by “Tom” because of his fascination as a kid with Thomas the Tank Engine in the TV series “Thomas & Friends” — finished third in the Scottish Open, made the cut in the British Open and 3M Open, and then finished seventh last week in the Rocket Mortgage Classic. That gave him enough points to be assured of a card next year. And as he has shown in two days, it takes a lot to stop this train. He took eight shots for his first hole on Thursday. Since then, Kim has made 14 birdies and reached 9-under 131 along with Wu (67) and Moore (67). “If you would have told me after the first hole yesterday where I’d be after two days, I definitely would have taken it, so pretty happy,” Kim said. “It’s just one bad hole,” he said, “Told myself, ‘You know what? I’ve got plenty of holes to bring it back if I just play well on my next 35 holes.’ And that’s exactly what I did. I played better than I thought I was going to, so it’s a bonus.” John Huh, who opened with a 61, had a 71 and was one shot behind along with Russell Henley (65) and Sungjae Im (67). A storm late in the afternoon led to a delay that kept the second round from finishing until Saturday morning, and there will be consequences. Chris Gotterup needed a par on the 18th hole for the cut to be 2-under 138. But he went into a bunker, blasted long and faced a 4-foot bogey putt when he returned in the morning. He will finish no better than 1 under, which could let as many as 23 players into the weekend. Austin Smotherman, however, was 1 under and had a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 8, his 17th hole. Smotherman is the equivalent of No. 125 in the FedExCup, and has to make the cut to keep alive his hopes of getting into the postseason. Moore needs a big weekend, too. Coming off a chronic back injury, nothing short of a solo second will be enough for Moore to regain his full card for next season. He’s not thinking about that as much as taking time off to rest and get his back in shape. He said there is deterioration where the rib joint meets the spine, and swinging a golf club isn’t necessarily the best therapy. But he can see the finish line, and a great result this week would help with his status and confidence going forward. As for the top 125 who qualify for the postseason? “I’m so far out of it, it doesn’t even matter at this point,” he said. “I’ve been dealing with this injury for a while. I know what’s wrong now. I just need time to deal with it. So right now it’s just trying to find a little form, a little confidence to spring me into this fall.” Rickie Fowler is getting time off he doesn’t want. He had three straight bogeys early in his second round and rallied for a 69. That left him at even par for the tournament to miss the cut. Fowler is the equivalent of No. 123 and most likely would fall out of the top 125, missing the postseason for the second straight year. Brian Stuard started at No. 137 in the FedExCup and followed his opening 65 with a 68, two shots off the lead. A strong weekend would allow him to get into the top 125. DIVOTS: Jason Day withdrew because of an illness. He had opened with a 67. … Former Masters champion Danny Willett was headed for a missed cut and will finish out of the top 125.

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